Self-locking winch line hook

ABSTRACT

A self-locking winch line hook for use with ferruled choker lines in log skidding and like applications comprises a winch line guide sleeve and an integral, slotted, ferrule pocket merging with the guide sleeve. The guide sleeve, ferrule pocket and slot are arranged and dimensioned so that in use the winch line prevents inadvertent displacement of the ferrule from the pocket.

0 United States Patent 1 91 11 1 3,870,357 Wernsing 1 Mar. 11, 1975 [54] SELF-LOCKING WINCH LINE HOOK 2,828,156 341958 Halrgsen 24/123 W 3,100,323 8 1963 B 24 123 W 1 1 memo Kenneth wemsmg 1931 3,175,264 3/1965 M arz s 24/123 A 72nd, Portland Oreg- 97212 3,239,900 3/1966 Bottoms 24/123 A 4 3,289,259 12/1966 Laharty 24/123 W [22] 1973 3,323,185 6 1967 Maras 24/123 w [21] Appl. No.: 349,019

Primary Examiner-Bernard A. Gelak Relfned Apphcanon Data Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Eugene D. Farley [63] Contmuatlon of Ser. No. 148,379, June 1, 1971,

abandoned. ABSTRACT 52 us. c1 294/74, 24/1145, 403/209, A 'c g' line hook for use with ferruled 403/353 choker lines in 10g skidding and like applications, com- [51] Int. Cl B66C 1/12, F16g 11/14 prises a winch line guide sleeve d an n gra slot- [58] Field 61 Search 24/123 A; 294/74 ted, ferrule pocket m g g with the guide Sleeve- The guide sleeve, ferrule pocket and slot are arranged and [56] R f c Cit d dimensioned so that in use the winch line prevents in- UNITED STATES PATENTS advertent displacement of the ferrule from the pocket. 841,726 1/1907 Shaw 24/123 A 1 Claim, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTED m 119 5 NW? R WW1 .z L WW E. m E. K

SELF-LOCKING WINCH LINE HOOK This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 148379, filed June 1, 1971 and now abandoned.

This invention relates to winch line hooks for use in log skidding, freight and cargo hauling, and like applications.

In one widely used logging method, the trees are felled, delimbed and bucked into logs of the desired length. A tractor or rubber tired skidder equipped with a power winch is driven to the logging site.

The winch line is fitted with a plurality of winch line hooks. In a typical instance, there may be from three to six such hooks, depending upon such factors as the size of the logs, the nature of the terrain and the power of the tractor.

Each winch line hook is designed for attachment to a choker assembly comprising a choker line having a ferrule at each end and a choker hook slidably mounted on the line between the ferrules. It is the intent to maintain the chokers connected to the winch line hooks for substantial operating periods involving numerous log retrievals.

The crew consists of an operator (skidder) and one or more choker setters. At the log site, the operator kicks the winch into free spooling position, whereupon a choker setter picks up the heavy chokers and drags them and the winch line to which they are connected for 100 yards or more to the log location. He then sets the chokers around the ends of the logs and signals the operator, who actuates the winch.

The first effect of such actuation is to cluster the logs together at the end of the winch line. Thereafter the winch drags the logs to the tractor which in turn drags the cluster to the landing station. There the logs are disconnected and loaded on a conveying vehicle. The skidder thereupon returns to the log site where the sequence is repeated.

A troublesome problem accompanying the foregoing procedure is the inadvertent disconnecting of the chokers from the winch line. This may occur when the chokers are empty or loaded.

Thus, it commonly occurs when the skidder first reaches the log site and the operator kicks the winch into its free spooling condition. This drops the chokers on the ground and creates slack in the assembly, with the result that the choker ferrules pop out of the winch line hooks and must be reinserted.

Even more seriously, the disconnection of the chokers from the winch line may occur as the cluster of logs is being dragged along by the skidder. Where the terrain is rough, the logs bounce against ground irregularities and obstructions, causing moments of slack when the choker line ferrules can, and do, slip out of the winch line hooks. At the very least, this requires retrieving the logs on a subsequent run. At the very worst, it means loss of the logs which upon being freed, may roll down into a canyon, or other inaccessible location.

Various expedients heretofore have been practiced in an effort releasably to lock the chokers to the winch line hooks. One such expedient is to provide the winch line hooks with set bolts which can be tightened down to prevent release of the ferrules from the hooks. However, these are subjected to such hard use that they quickly are bent and rendered inoperative.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a winch line hook which overcomes the foregoing problems and which in use is self-locking so that the choker can not be dislodged inadvertently, whether loaded or unloaded.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a winch line hook which is simple in its construction, relatively light in weight, free of moving parts which require adjustment, of relatively low cost, rugged and durable, and adaptable for use with both steel cables and chain.

In its broad scope, the self-locking winch line hook of the present invention comprises a winch line guide sleeve and, integral therewith, a ferrule pocket dimensioned to seat the choker ferrule. The guide sleeve has a diameter sufficient to pass the winch line, the choker line and the ferrule, singly considered, but not both the winch line and choker line ferrule in contiguous relation to each other.

The ferrule pocket merges with the guide sleeve and is defined by a pair of spaced side walls, a front wall and a bottom wall. The back wall of the ferrule pocket is open and dimensioned to pass the choker line ferrule. The back and bottom walls of the ferrule pocket have a continuous central slot dimensioned to pass the winch line and the choker line but not the choker line ferrule.

Accordingly, when the winch line is in the guide sleeve, it locks the choker ferrule in the ferrule pocket. However, the choker ferrule may be removed by first shifting the winch line into the ferrule pocket slot and the choker line into the guide sleeve. Thereupon the ferrule will slip easily through the guide sleeve. This disconnects the choker from the winch line hook.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a winch line assembly including a plurality of logs connected to the winch line through the agency of the herein described winch line hooks;

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the winch line hook of my invention;

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation of the hook in its use position in which it receives both the winch line and the choker line;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the hook, taken along line 44 of FIG. 3',

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views in side and end elevation respectively looking in the direction of the arrows of lines 5-5 and 66 respectively of FIG. 3, FIG. 6 being partly in section to reveal interior construction;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view illustrating the working position of the hook and indicating particularly the manner in which the choker line ferrule is locked within the hook by the winch line;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are sectional views similar to FIG. 7, but illustrating the manipulations by means of which the choker may be connected to and disconnected from the hook; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

The application of the winch line hooks of my invention is illustrated in FIG. 1.

A winch line 12, which normally comprises a heavy steel cable, is connected at one of its ends to the winch of a tractor type skidder and provided at the other of its ends with a ferrule 14. The winch line slidably mounts a plurality of the herein described winch line hooks, indicated generally at 16. To each of these is connected a choker line assembly (choker) 18. Each choker comprises a choker line 20 having on one of its ends a ferrule 22 which connects the choker line to.-the winch line hook.

At the other of its ends, each choker line has another ferrule, not illustrated, which is engageable with a central and freely slidable choker hook 23. The choker is set in the conventional manner by wrapping the choker line around a log 24 and engaging the ferrule on the outer end of the choker line with the choker hook. This forms a noose which draws tightly around the log end as the log is drawn toward the tractor winch.

When the chokers first are set on the logs, the loose arrangement of FIG. 1 prevails. However, when the operator draws in winch line 12, the line slides through the winch line hooks, clustering the logs like a string of fish at the end of the winch line. In that condition they are skidded to the loading station.

As is illustrated particularly in FIGS. 2 and 5 of the drawings, each winch line hook 16 comprises a winch line guide sleeve 30 and a ferrule pocket 32. These are formed integrally with each other and normally constitute a steel casting of considerable strength.

Guide sleeve 30 has a diameter sufficient to pass the winch line and choker line, doubly considered, but not the winch line and choker line ferrule, double considered, i.e., when arranged in parallel contiguous relation to each other. Stated otherwise, the internal diameter of the guide sleeve is greater than the sum of the diameter of the winch line and choker line, but less than the sum of the diameter of the winch line and choker line ferrule. The guide sleeve margins are radiused or flared to present guiding surfaces, insuring that the hook will slide smoothly over the winch line.

The ferrule pocket is defined by a pair of side walls 34, a front wall (with reference to the advancing direction of motion when used in skidding logs) 36, and a bottom wall 38. The latter forms a seat against which the butt end of ferrule 22 bears in the use position of the hook. As seen in FIG. 5, the back of the ferrule pocket is almost entirely open to provide clearance for ferrule 22.

The ferrule pocket merges with the winch line guide sleeve to form one continuous recess. The front and bottom walls of the ferrule pocket have a continuous central slot 40 which also communicates at its inner end with guide sleeve 30.

Since normally winch line 12 is of greater diameter than is choker line 20, slot 40 has an inner segment 40a of a width sufficient to pass the winch line.

The relationship of winch line guide sleeve 30 and ferrule pocket 32 is further shown in FIG. 3. To insure that in use the lines will lie at the proper angle to each other without kinking or bending, the ferrule pocket is arranged with its longitudinal axis at an angle a to the longitudinal axis of the guide sleeve of from 20 to 60, preferably from 30 to 50.

As is particularly apparent in FIG. 7, when the hook is used to skid a heavy load, or even when the load consists only of the weight of the choker itself, winch line 12 locks ferrule 22 within the ferrule pocket so that it cannot possibly be dislodged. However, when it is desired to remove the choker from the winch line hook, the sequence of FIGS. 3, 8 and 9 may be followed.

First the choker line is moved angularly in the direction of the arrow of FIG. 3. This makes it possible to poke the ferrule out through the open back side of the hook, as shown in FIG. 8. Since there is clearance in guide sleeve 30 for both winch line 12 and choker line 20 in contiguous relation, their positions may be reversed and winch line 12 moved into the enlarged section 40a of slot 40 in the ferrule pocket. It now becomes a simple matter to slip the ferrule lengthwise through the guide sleeve, as shown in FIG. 10.

To attach the choker to the winch line hook, the above described sequence of manipulations is reversed.

Having thus described my invention in preferred embodiments, I claim:

1. In combination with a winch line and a ferruled choker line in log skidding and like operations, a winch line hook comprising:

a. an annular body defining a single laterally elongated, unobstructed opening longitudinally therethrough,

b. one lateral end portion of the opening defining a winch line guide sleeve slidably receiving the winch line and having a lateral dimension larger than the cross sectional dimension of the choker line ferrule and also larger than the combined diameters of the winch line and choker line,

c. the opposite lateral end portion of the opening defining a ferrule pocket dimensioned to seat the choker line ferrule with the outer end of the ferrule facing the winch line in the sleeve,

d. the longitudinal axis of the ferrule pocket being disposed at an angle of about 2060 to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve opening,

e. the ferrule pocket being defined by a pair of side walls, a bottom wall and a front wall extending from the bottom wall and terminating adjacent the sleeve opening a distance from the winch line less than the length and the diameter of the ferrule, whereby the winch line obstructs movement of the seated ferrule inwardly of the front wall,

f. the front and bottom walls of the ferrule pocket having a continuous central slot having a width greater than the diameter of the winch line and the choker line but less than the diameter of the choker line ferrule,

g. the back of the ferrule pocket opposite the front wall being open to pass the ferrule rearwardly between the winch line and bottom wall,

h. said one lateral end portion of the single opening affording common access by and free interchange of positions of both lines, whereby the choker line is movable into the winch line guide opening and the winch line is movable into the ferrule pocket opening for removal and installation of the ferruled choker line.through the winch line guide opening. 

1. In combination with a winch line and a ferruled choker line in log skidding and like operations, a winch line hook comprising: a. an annular body defining a single laterally elongated, unobstructed opening longitudinally therethrough, b. one lateral end portion of the opening defining a winch line guide sleeve slidably receiving the winch line and having a lateRal dimension larger than the cross sectional dimension of the choker line ferrule and also larger than the combined diameters of the winch line and choker line, c. the opposite lateral end portion of the opening defining a ferrule pocket dimensioned to seat the choker line ferrule with the outer end of the ferrule facing the winch line in the sleeve, d. the longitudinal axis of the ferrule pocket being disposed at an angle of about 20*-60* to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve opening, e. the ferrule pocket being defined by a pair of side walls, a bottom wall and a front wall extending from the bottom wall and terminating adjacent the sleeve opening a distance from the winch line less than the length and the diameter of the ferrule, whereby the winch line obstructs movement of the seated ferrule inwardly of the front wall, f. the front and bottom walls of the ferrule pocket having a continuous central slot having a width greater than the diameter of the winch line and the choker line but less than the diameter of the choker line ferrule, g. the back of the ferrule pocket opposite the front wall being open to pass the ferrule rearwardly between the winch line and bottom wall, h. said one lateral end portion of the single opening affording common access by and free interchange of positions of both lines, whereby the choker line is movable into the winch line guide opening and the winch line is movable into the ferrule pocket opening for removal and installation of the ferruled choker line through the winch line guide opening. 